There are many things in life that baffle me. I don't claim to be a very smart person. I haven't traveled the world, I don't have any special skills and I never created anything that changed the world. The one thing I do know is Glam. But while I pretty much know all about the bands that rocked the 80s, I guess I just haven't figured out Glam fans.

The other day I posted my excitement of scoring some Guns n' Roses tickets. I expected a couple negative posts... but not scores of them. I've never been able to understand why people will slag Guns n' Roses in 2011 but will laud the musical prowess of, say, XYZ or Kingdom Come.

Axl Rose - along with the original members of GNR - is responsible for one of the most important metal records of all time. Appetite for Destruction completely changed the course of metal in the 80s. Hell, the album still shifts a slew of units each week, year in, year out, more than two decades later!

When LA Guns is brought up on this site, everyone cries foul at Tracii's version and screams that "Phil's version is better because he's the voice of the band." Well, okay. Axl Rose is the voice of Guns n' Roses. I want to hear "November Rain" by the actual singer.

Part of the charm of the original Rocklahoma festival in 2007 was people experiencing their childhoods all over again. Being 32, the only Guns n' Roses experience I had was listening to the band on the radio and watching MTV. I know seeing Guns n' Roses in 2011 won't be the same as it was in 1989, but it's the best chance I've got of hearing Axl sing "Welcome to the Jungle." Sure he's going to keep me waiting and yes, he'll probably act like a diva. But I know exactly what to expect so it won't be a surprise.

I feel like there's some double standard against Guns n' Roses amongst Glam fans these days. Or maybe just the people that read this website, I dunno. Whatever the case, it does seem a bit insane to praise bands filled with scab members and then knock Axl for filling his band with... replacement members. Especially when all those "praised" bands are acts that didn't really make a big dent in the scene... and certainly didn't rock and entire generation like GnR. Just sayin.'

Reader Comments (29)

Allyson- I couldn't agree with you more. Guns n Roses was the band of my youth, Appetite is the greatest album of all time and the songs are as meaningful today, as they were 22 years ago. Of course, that is my opinion. Everyone has one.Would I love to see the original GNR together on this tour? Sure, who wouldn't? But when the original singer/songwriter is performing the songs, I really don't see it as a cover band. He is one of, if not the best front man in Rock- and because of the meaning of his songs, i would see him any opportunity i can. In 2010, I flew from Dallas to Hamilton Ontario to see him. Did I have to wait til almost 11 for them to start? Of course I did- but I knew what i was gonna get before I got there and went ahead. He delivered a spectacular performance that night and played for almost 3 hours. While its not the same Axl I remember from my youth, the fact that he hasn't gone out there year after year, summer after summer, with the same tired set list ( ala Poison, Motley Crue, Def Leppard- bands that I love too) makes it that much more of a special event. If someone doesn't like it- Don't go.I am going to see him in Dallas and possibly the night before in Houston, cuz I don't know if there will ever be another opportunity to see one of the greatest frontmen in rock n roll history. BTW- i love the fact that all these haters can't even spell Axl correctly!!!!!!!!

Allyson- I couldn't agree with you more. Guns n Roses was the band of my youth, Appetite is the greatest album of all time and the songs are as meaningful today, as they were 22 years ago. Of course, that is my opinion. Everyone has one.Would I love to see the original GNR together on this tour? Sure, who wouldn't? But when the original singer/songwriter is performing the songs, I really don't see it as a cover band. He is one of, if not the best front man in Rock- and because of the meaning of his songs, i would see him any opportunity i can. In 2010, I flew from Dallas to Hamilton Ontario to see him. Did I have to wait til almost 11 for them to start? Of course I did- but I knew what i was gonna get before I got there and went ahead. He delivered a spectacular performance that night and played for almost 3 hours. While its not the same Axl I remember from my youth, the fact that he hasn't gone out there year after year, summer after summer, with the same tired set list ( ala Poison, Motley Crue, Def Leppard- bands that I love too) makes it that much more of a special event. If someone doesn't like it- Don't go.I am going to see him in Dallas and possibly the night before in Houston, cuz I don't know if there will ever be another opportunity to see one of the greatest frontmen in rock n roll history. BTW- i love the fact that all these haters can't even spell Axl correctly!!!!!!!!

I completely agree with both Rocket87 and Allyson. I flew to the GnR show in London last year (the one in which Duff joined them on stage for three songs), and it was an incredible rockn'roll show that lasted for 3 hours! Axl and the band put in tons of energy into their performance, pyro was firing all through the night and a crazy amount of confetti dropped at the end of Paradise City.

At the London show Sebastian Bach opened for Guns, and gave a killer one hour set. after he got off the stage, the stage crew worked up there for about half an hour, and than we waited for about half an hour more for GnR to take the stage. In GnR standards (or any band's standards for that matter) waiting for half an hour for the band is reasonable - just saying not every Guns n' Roses show starts with the crowd frustrateed from waiting.

Regardless of how much you like or dislike Axl's personallity (Some see him as the last "real" rock star around, most see him as a major douchebag) Axl has a very uniqe and distinct voice. No One else can sing GnR songs without sounding too weak or like a cheap imitation. Axl had some terrible years vocally (between 2002 and 2007 he sounded like somebody's grandma with a hernia) but his voice is strong again and anyone who has the chance to catch a show on this tour should do it! We don't know for how many more years Axl would be able to pull off his 3 hour spectacles, every tour could be his last.

So Allyson - Enjoy the show and don't let the haters bring you down! I envy you!

I don't understand why people are jumping down your throat about goin to see the W. Axl Rose Project, of course you would jump at the opportunity to see this, like u said u were never able to go when it was the real G'n R and you want to hear those songs performed live! Supporting the live performance of Gun 'n Roses music is for sure Bringing Back Glam. Having said that i got tired of Axl overdoing the whole "Axl" thing in the 90's and I kinda like hearing Myles Kennedy better now. He's like a spot on, WAY less annoying version and in my mind Slash's band is just as much G'n R as Axl's with only one member from that band. I saw Steve Priest billing himself as Sweet awhile back and had a pretty good time hearing those songs live, but NO way was that Sweet, I mean, when Vince Neil tours and plays pretty much all Motley material at least he doesn't call HIMSELF Motley Crue!!!!

gnr caused a paradigm shift in music for sure but people remember the original lineup and not the current one, remember all the negative bs surrounding the original lineup, how axl forced the others to give up rights to the name etc.

Walked out on em in '86 at The Troubador,,,and after seein that latest video of Axl 'singing' Welcome To The Jungle..OY!..NO THANKS. I would never waste my money on a joke of what was a truly, great band that was destroyed by ONE egotistical dickhead!

While I have no interesting in seeing GnR now, in this incarnation, personally, I think its great that people still do. As an original fan, it's my opinion—and only my opinion—that the reason fans have such a backlash against this current GnR and what Axl is doing, is that we are angry that the original band/lineup is no more and likely will not happen. That anger is easy to take out bashing what Axl is doing with the name now.

Enjoy the show...and don't ever lose that passion for the music you love! None of use should. \m/

the mind of a glam fan...if axl's g-n-r and addler's appetite were playing on the same night, in the same city, at the same time I would, without any doubt, attend steve's show and offer him the (emotional and financial) support, understanding and kindness, because steve is just one of many, many people who axl has written off. Even if axl was playing in my basement and steve was playing across town, I would tell my wife to make sure axl didn't wreck the place as I left to go see Steve's show. Steve is deserving of support. Axl is not.

P.S. as far as the time is concerned, the show will still start @ 7:30 and Buckcherry will go on at their scheduled time, then you have to wait hours for axl, then he leaves after a song or two, and then you have to wait another hour for him to come back on. Been there, done that! This is the foremost reason why Izzy quit. He was always on time (for video shoots, concerts, studio recordings, etc... and he grew tired of waiting for axl) It's great that you have off the next day (Saturday), but there are many fans who are not as lucky as you are to have off on week-ends and it's unfair to them when they might have to be on the "assembly line" by 6:00am to pay for costs; which includes an occasionl concert. If this concert was on your work night, would you be as excited?

P.s.s.t (?) I don't begrudge you for wanting to attend this show. I begrudge that you are not only promoting it, but promoting it favorably.

I think it's easy to understand why people hate this version of GNR: Axl is a complete assclown. Loving a band is more than just the music and Axl has turned a lot of people off.

That said, I have no problem with the current incarnation of the band and have seen them 2 times over the past few years. Axl is the voice of the band and if you shut your eyes, it sounds the same.

Would I like the original band to get back together? Of course! But the fact that they aren't isn't going to stop me from seeing some of my all-time favorite songs performed live by one of the most iconic front-men in rock history.

So go to the show, have a great time, and don't worry about what some others think.

I guess the problem with the current GNR lineup is that GNR was more than just Axl singing...the group of Axl, Slash, Duff, Adler and Idzy was a iconic group that re-shaped the landscape of glam metal in the 80's. They were THE band of the 80's and it was a group effort. Now, you cannot have GNR without Axl, so that goes without saying, but Slash's iconic look and sound along with Adler and Duff really made GNR that larger than life persona! They were more than music. And i saw this new GNR lineup (or the one with only Axl) some 4-5 years ago in Baltimore in front of 4-5,000 tops. Did they sound good? Actually yeah they did and did i enjoy the show...hell yes. But this isn't the GNR that became iconic in the 80's and was one of the greatest rock bands ever! It is Axl Rose with a bunch of talented musicians playing behind him. And that is ok, its just not the true GNR experience with Slash, Duff and Adler. If they ever were smart enought to re-unite, they would sell out arena's and stadiums and it would be the EVENT to go to, but with just Axl, its just another show.

Ouch I miss a few days and the place blows up geeze leave her alone...

GNR is my favorite band of all time! I think you should go enjoy the music it will sound great and I am sure W.Axl Rose will not disappoint you. I am sure there will be some drama but its all part of the experience.

I managed to see them in 88 or 89 open for Aerosmith and then the infamous shows at the L.A. Coliseum (talk about a wait for them to take the stage) and on the Illisions tour with Blind Melon im 94 or 95...

I would go see them on this tour if I was not taking the wife on a cruise for her birthday but if the tour is extended which I doubt it will be I will shell out the money and attend I have missed to many opportunities in life to see the musicians I love and even if it is one of the original members given the opportunity I would be there!!

So go enjoy it you should and have no remorse about what anyone thinks after all thats the rock n roll GNR attitude!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with KixRules. There are some bands that have the one strong focal point, and then the rest of the band (while awesome musicians) kind of fade to the background. You can justify seeing Jon and Ritchie as Bon Jovi, or BJ and Angus as AC/DC. They are the focal points of the bands and is what people come to see.

What I think the issue is is that GNR to some fans (myself included) is more than JUST Axl. GNR, like the Crue, were made up of very distinct personalities who all gelled together to make up the band. Removing one segment of it DID disrupt the flow. Take out any one piece of the Crue, and I feel it is no longer the Crue. I feel the same way about GNR.

I would gladly go to see Axl playing at a midsize venue under the name Axl Rose or The Axl Rose Band. But to pay top dollar to see him cashing in on the GNR name is something that i just can't do. Maybe I am just too close to the music as I know plenty of people who don't know (or dont care) who all of the members of the band even are. Look at M3...how many times did you hear "I Love You Jani" when Robert Mason was on stage. To me, Axl is just playing off of THOSE fans who think they are gonna get the full GNR experience and have no clue that Slash isnt in the band anymore. Journey is another example. Go to a Journey show and watch all of the confused looks on peoples faces when the band walks out without Steve Perry. Through the years, I have actually heard "Man...Steve looks a lot different" or "I didnt know Steve Perry was asian". While it irritates the crap out of a fan like me, there are those people who just dont care who is performing the music as long as they get to think its the same band (or some subset of).

Its people like that who I feel Axl is cashing in on, and I just dont want any part of it. Get the crew back together and make it a REAL Guns and Roses show, or post it as "Axl Rose of Guns and Roses". If either of those happen I am happy to contribute.

I wont even get into the overhyped Chinese Democracy wait, the hours on end waiting for Axl to "decide" to perform, or getting on stage and then getting pissed off and walking off and ending the show after 3 songs (which I have witnessed first hand several times). Nah...I think I will pass.

It's a free country, so if Allyson wants to go see G&R, who are we to tell her she can't? That said, because she puts herself out there in blog form, she opens herself up to opinions from all sides.

the reason why I personally wouldn't pay a dime to see G&R is because I can't stand Axl. I work far too hard for my money to give even a penny of it to a guy who clearly doesn't give a flying crap about his fans. I SAW G&R back in, i believe, '89 on a tripple bill with Deep Purple and Aerosmith. G&R were terrible. Axl, being the big baby he is, did more complaining about the sound than actual singing, then stormed off in a huff after like a half hour. Deep Purple and Aerosmith on the other hand, were total class acts, and both delivered long blistering sets that saved the night. I simply refuse to reward Axl financially for his behavior.

I think the reason the current Guns n' Roses (I do like the name "Axl Rose Project" as a viable alternative) raises so much ire among pop metal fans is precisely because of the impact of Appetite for Destruction. In my estimation, that album was the absolute apotheosis of pop metal, and I think its sales figures and influence relative to other releases of the era bear that out. The current iterations of Kingdom Come or L.A. Guns just don't raise hackles as much because - let's face it - not nearly enough people remember them at all, much less remember them fondly. It's the difference between Pink Floyd without Roger Waters (highly controversial) and whatever version of Uriah Heep you care to talk about (no one cares). One matters; the other just doesn't.

Axl Rose certainly doesn't help himself in this regard because, even outside of being egotistical and money-hungry enough to convene a version of Guns n' Roses without Slash or Izzy & co., he's a very public diva who can trash an entire tour for no discernible reason, and who otherwise makes it clear that he regards his own fans as things just a small step above piles of shit. I had the good fortune to see GnR during their 1993 tour, and they put on a great show -- but given what's happened in the interval, even if I found the new GnR material at all memorable (I don't), I'm not sure I'd take the chance on trying to go to a concert. It's something of a crapshoot, after all. The fact that all of this -- the complete co-opting of a band by the least palatable of its members, the nondescript music currently marketed under its original name, etc. -- involves not just some run-of-the-mill rock outfit, but a classic group who defined an era of music (and my early 20's), is what makes it important enough to vent.

That said, more power to you. I wasn't about to rain on your GnR ticket parade, and I didn't, but you did wonder why pop metal fans were so risable on this particular subject...

What Fletch said, verbatim.My beef is with Axl.Does anyone ever remember reading ANYTHING good about him since about 1989?? (Guy is a borderline freaking sociopath.) They are playing 40 miles from me in Wilkes Barre Pa on this tour'and on a Saturday night no less. Sorry, ain't happening.

On a side note,Ally,have a blast!! Don't frickin' worry about what us opinionated dickheads think!! LOL 8>) Rock And Roll Sister!!!!!!!!!

New twist on an old idea. I think people slag one another online for a number of reasons one of the main reasons is anonymity. No one would say half the things they say to a persons face. So in a way it's cowardice and in another it's childish. I believe that most people that read sites like this one are die hard fans. Fans are a bands best friend and worst enemy. Die hards know everything about their favorite band ( sometimes too much ) and they are usually the one's that slag about not having all original members. The average Joe doesn't give a sh&t. The average Joe is what made Warrant sell out arenas in 1992 and then down to clubs in 1995. It's because Average Joe didn't care anymore and only die hards were going to see Warrant in 1995. I'm a firm believer in the song. I think that's why cover bands and tribute bands can get away with doing what they do. It's because it's not whose playing the song it's what they are playing. If all your going to get out of a Guns N Roses show is Axl then take it and enjoy it. If you go and you don't enjoy it then at the very least you've had the experience. Be a true rocker and when someone asks why are you going to see Axl's band tell them to go fu&k themselves and when they pay your salary then they can tell you how to spend your money! In my lifetime I have shared the stage with great guys and with some serious assholes. I have heard I was the best and I've also heard I was the worst. Everyone has an opinion and no filter between their brain and their mouth. People talk to you like you aren't a real person almost like your not even human. Fans in general make it like you owe everything to them. I do owe alot to fans but don't snap your fingers and call at me like I'm your pet. Fans should really think about what they say to their musician friends and what they write online. I mean just because you said to me I'm your biggest fan doesn't mean the next thing out of your mouth should be but that is one ugly fucking tattoo or why can't you hit those notes anymore? You just want to ask them why they just asked you an insulting question but being a musician in a touring band you have to be very p.c. and answer like nothing bothers you. Say stupid shit like well last night I did it must be my lack of rest. So, I know exactly what your talking about and not just from a web site about people saying stupid shit about you going to a concert but imagine being in a band where people are calling you a "scab" or asking you why you fired the old bass player? People in general just say what they think and sometimes I think they just don't think at all and say whatever they please.

Some interesting opinions (minus the drivel directly above), but ultimately I agree with the majority here in that Allyson has a great site, and seeing as it's HER $$, she is free to spend it as she wishes.

As for where I stand: I saw G'n'R several times in the early 90's, and I was getting a little weary of them even then (Long drawn-out solos, too many backup singers, shows where they played all the 'slower' songs in a row, Axl's penchant to show up whenever he felt like it, etc.). Today I wouldn't spend $20 to see them if they played at my favorite bar in town and the 1st drink was on the house. Personal taste. But have a blast Allyson, and we are looking forward to your review of the show afterward.